Wexford County was named after a county in Ireland and populated by Irish immigrants. Wexford County is located nestled in the North West corner of the mitt, at about the knuckle on the ring finger. Wexford was organized in 1869 and a narrow gauge railroad quickly made development possible, the engine rotors were geared for high traction and the Shay railroad was the only way to move the lumber through the high country. Today the Irish Heritage lives on in the city of Manton , located at the crossroads of US-131 and M-42 in Wexford County 's Cedar Creek Township . Manton was settled by the Irish in the 1800's during the Lumber Days. Every year in May you will find Irish Spring Days and while you're there be sure to check out the historic fire barn on Main Street which of course is painted green.   One of Wexford county's better known spots is the city of Cadillac in Clam Lake Township which is located at the junction of 3 major highways, US-131, M-115 and M55. Cadillac was named after Antoine De La Mothe Cadillac, a Frenchman who settled in Detroit in 1701. Cadillac was also home to the Michigan Iron Works Company, which manufactured Shay locomotives, the ones that made high country lumbering possible. The city surrounds Lake Cadillac and development is also working its way around Lake Mitchell . Lakes Cadillac and Mitchell were not always known by those names.   During the lumbering days the two lakes that were not connected were called Big and Little Clam Lakes. In 1873 the one-third mile long Clam Lake Canal was constructed between the lakes. The channel was originally twenty feet wide, since then it has been widened at least six times and is presently forty-eight feet wide. This canal is said to be one of the man made wonders of the world as the canal generally freezes before either of the lakes, then thaws after the lakes have frozen, and does not re-freeze again for the rest of the winter.   With around half of the county contained in either the Manistee National or Pere Marquette State Forests, not to mention the numerous lakes and streams, Wexford County is a haven for Outdoor Michigan.

Wexford County Websites and Locations of Interest

http://www.infomi.com/county/wexford/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wexford_County%2C_Michigan